Southern California -- this just in

Gov. Schwarzenegger declares state of emergency

October 13, 2008 | 4:56
pm

Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger has declared a state of emergency for L.A. and Ventura counties, where two wildfires have burned a combined 10,000 acres and continue to rage out of control. From the release:

“As fires burn across California, I want to commend all of the firefighters who are bravely battling these aggressive flames and the first responders who are helping their communities and fellow neighbors. Winds are causing fire conditions to change by the hour, which is why it is so important that residents in the areas surrounding these wildfires heed warnings from public safety officials to evacuate.

It’s critical that everyone in the warning areas continue to be prepared—know what you’re going to take and be ready to move very quickly if the evacuation order comes in your area. The state is coordinating with federal and local officials to ensure that firefighters have the resources they need, but with such a serious situation on our hands, we need residents to take every precaution to remain safe during this dangerous and difficult time.”

More info on the fires, including evacuation centers and wildfire stats, here and here.